2 PARA RUBBER. 



The plants at Henaratgoda flowered for the first time in 1881, 

 when they were five years old. The plants at Peradeniya did not 

 flower until a few years later — 1884 — but curiously enough, at Perak 

 the small trees only 35 feet high and 2| years old flowered in 1880. 



The trees at Peradeniya did not flower in 1882, and only 36 seeds 

 were secured in that year at Henaratgoda. Mr. Low sent, from the 

 Experimental Garden at Perak, eighteen seeds to Peradeniya, but 

 on their arrival they were found to be dead. 



In 1883 no less than nine trees flowered at Henaratgoda in March, 

 and the fruit ripened in August. From this crop 260 seedlings were 

 raised, many of which were sent to planters in Ceylon. In 1884 a 

 good crop of seed was produced at Henaratgoda, and over 1,000 

 seedlings were raised and distributed to officials in suitable parts of 

 the Colony. In the same year a few seeds were also produced for 

 the first time at Peradeniya. 



Distribution of Seeds and Plants from Ceylon. 



After the trees had begun to produce seed the propagation of 

 plants from cuttings was given up. The seed supply from less than 

 500 trees has risen from 260 in 1883 to about 200,000 at the present 

 time, and every year large quantities of seeds are sent to many 

 tropical countries. 



India and the Straits have received a considerable number of Cey- 

 lon rubber seeds and plants, the first consignments dating back to 

 1877 when the cuttings from one-year-old trees were sent from Pera- 

 deniya. Mr. H. N. Ridley informs me that the Straits do not appear 

 to have obtained seeds from Ceylon till 1886, when they were 

 then distributing their own seeds, and is unable to account for 

 the fate of the material sent from Ceylon at an earlier date. 

 Seeds were also sent to Queensland in 1886 and 1889, to 

 Jamaica and Buitenzorg in 1887, to Fiji in 1888, to Borneo and 

 German East Africa in 1891, to Sumatra in 1901, and to the Gold 

 Coast, Seychelles, and Australia during the last few years. 

 Cultivation, Yields, Preparation, and Value, &c. 



When Hevea brasiliensis was first introduced to Ceylon it was 

 considered to be most suitable for places little above sea-level, but 

 the good growth obtained at Peradeniya, though less satisfactory 

 than that at Henaratgoda, was sufficient to interest several plant- 

 ers, and consequently seeds were supplied to residents in many 

 parts of the island. At the present time it cannot be doubted that 

 Hevea brasiliensis will grow in the Central Province of Ceylon up to 

 2,000 feet above sea-level and in the Province of Uva at a still higher 

 elevation. This is evidenced by the acreages now under this 

 product in the Peradeniya, Matale, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, 

 Ambegamuwa, Uva, and other districts. 



Ten or eleven years ago it was thought advisable not to tap trees 

 until they were at least ten years old, and an estimate of H lb. of 

 dry rubber, per tree, per year, from the 12th to the 20th year was 

 considered satisfactory. Since that time it has been proved that 



